Challenge Stakes
Best for: Challenges, money, fitness, gaming
The hook
- Say
- I have 24 hours to make $100 using only my phone.
The first 3 seconds
- 0.0s“I have 24 hours…”
- 1.0s“…to make $100…”
- 2.0s“…using only my phone.”
- 3.0sThe viewer is playing along: will you win?
Why it works
A goal plus a limit is a mini game. People stay to see if you win.
What you need
- A goal, a time limit and one rule
- A way to show the clock or your progress
- Time to actually do the challenge
Step by step
Plan
- Set a goal that's possible but hard. Too easy and nobody cares; impossible and nobody believes it.
- Plan how you'll show progress: a timer, a money counter, a checklist.
Film
- Say the goal, the limit and the rule in the first sentence.
- Film the key moments: the start, the low point, the turning point, the end.
Edit
- Keep the clock or progress on screen the whole way through.
- Reveal the result at the very end, not before.
Use it in your niche
- FitnessI have 30 days to do 20 pull-ups in a row.
- GamingI have one hour to reach Diamond using only pistols.
- CookingI have $10 to cook dinner for 6 people.
Pro tips
- Add one twist rule. “Using only my phone” is more interesting than just “make $100”.
- Show the low point. The struggle makes the ending better.
Avoid
- Hiding that you failed. Honest fails get watched and trusted.
- Dangerous challenges. They can hurt you and get the video removed.
